Detachable handle for trucks



Jam.'1s,f1944.k y E, v MANN l 2,339,646

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR rTRUCKS y Filed Aug. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l f7 V H/ 5 f6 f/ f1/6 17 j\ j zf 4":321C3 a J0 f6 y 11 \\\ja 6 Jan. 18,l 1944. E. Y. MANN 2,339,646

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR vTRUCKS Filed Aug. s, 1942 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,339,646 DETACHABLE HANDLE Foa TRUCKS Eusworth Y. Mann, North st. Paul, Minn.

.Application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,490

4 Claims.

Many of the hand operated trucks in use in industrial and munitions plants are so constructed that permanently attached handles cannot be located where required on the trucks without sacrificing other advantageous features such as compactness and provision for stacking the trucks in telescoped relation to each other. Since such trucks when loaded often weigh more than a thousand pounds, the work of moving them about involves the application of considerable force and experience has shown that due to the lack of adequatehandles injury to the operators frequently occurs. It is an object of this invention to minimize such accidents, without sacrificing other features of construction, by providing strong, readily attachable and detachable handles which may be carried about by the workmen and quickly attached to trucks when required.

A further object is to provide rigid, fixed attaching means for a handle of this class whereby better control of the truck is afforded and all bolts and other small movable fastening members are eliminated.

'Other objects will appear and be more fully pointed out in the following specification and Fig. 4 illustrates the same handle in front elef vation and in place on the truck, a fragmentary corner portion of which is shown;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the handle together with a corner portion of the truck;

Fig. 6 is a side view showing an alternate form of my handle in connection with a truck of a common smaller or lower type, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the handle for the larger type of truck shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, I provide a rigid supporting plate 8 along one edge of which is an integral flange 9 projecting at a right angle. Integral with the plate 8 along its opposite edge is a relatively narrow ange II'I having along its normally lower edge a flange or projection II extending back toward the flange 9 to engage -beneath a member of a truck, as hereinafter described. Rigidly secured to the top of the plate 8, preferably by welding, is a tubular grip member I2 which is offset upwardy from the plate 8 to provide a large inverted U-shaped handle. The ends I3 of this grip member are flattened and bent to extend along and in contact with the plate 8. Projecting longitudinally from the grip member I2 is a rigid ear I4 which is adapted to engage an upright member of the truck to prevent forward tilting of the handle when in use. Y

The truck shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 comprises an elevated rectangular box I5 having an open top adapted to receive the load such as loose, small arms, cartridge cases, ammunition or other articles to be transported, supported on a rigid frame and wheels. Extending around the top of the box I5 and projecting outward therefrom is a rigid ange I6 which aords a supporting member for the handle. The truck frame includes angle bars I'I projecting upward from the four corners of the box I5 and other suitable frame members such as the horizontal members I8 on which the wheels I9 and 2l] are mounted.

My improved handle is formed to fit on the flange I6 with the pendant ange Il extending inside of the box I5 along the inner wall there#- 'of and with the opposite flange I0 engaging the outer edge of the flange I5. When in place on the truck the ear I4 extends in contact with the rear or inner surface of one of the angle bars I1, so that the handle cannot be tilted Voutward, and the anges 9 and It transmit propelling forces to the front and rear edges of the flange IS while the flange II prevents upward withdrawal of the handle and inward tilting of the plate 8. To detach the handle itis only necessary to slide it along the ange I6 until the ear I4 has been withdrawn from behind the angle bar I'I and then to tilt the handle outward, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 followed by raising of the flanges 9, I0 and II out of engagement with the edges and lower surface of the flange IB. The flange II ts the outer edge of the ange I6 loosely enough to permit the necessary tilting of the plate 8. It will be readily understood that the handle may be attached to the truck by reversing the tilting and sliding operation described.

In the alternate form of my device, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, I provide an attaching bracket having a top plate 2I formed with a pendant flange 22 along one edge, a shorter flange 23 along the other edge and a reentrant ange 24 along the lower edge of the flange 23. Rigidly fastened to the top of the plate 2 I, preferably by welding, is

a stout rod or tongue 25 formed with a closed loop handle 26 at its normally forward and upper extremity. The truck shown in Fig. 6 is of the low type having a sheet metal body 21 which is open at its top and provided with a horizontally and outwardly projecting flange 28 around its upper edge. This truck is supported on pairs of wheels 29 and 30.

The ange 22 of the handle fits inside of the body 21 and the anges 23 and 24 engage the outer edge andsbeneath the ange 28 of the truck when the tongue 25 is in the normal, elevated position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. Force for moving the truck is transmitted through the plate 2l and flanges 22, 23 and 24 so that the truck may be propelled to the front or rear and its lateral movement controlled. To detach the handle, the tongue 25 is depressed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and then merely Withdrawn obliquely upward and to the front. The device may be attached by reversing the operation described, as in the case of the shorter handle shown in Figs. l to inclusive.

' Experience has shown that the use of my detachable handles materially reduces the number of accidents which have heretofore been caused by inadequate handles and that the work of propelling and accurately controlling the trucks is facilitated.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a truck having a horizontally extending member, a wall depending from said member and a frame member extending upward from said horizontal member, a detachablehandle comprising a plate adapted to extend along the top of said horizontal member, a pendant flange extending along an edge of said plate to engage one edge of said horizontal member, a second flange extending along the opposite edge of said plate to engage the opposite edge of said horizontal member, a projection formed on said second flange to engage beneath said horizontal member, a grip member rigidly connected to said plate, said plate, flanges and projection being movable into engagement with said horizontal member by tilting said plate laterally and a lug projecting from said handle for engagement with said truck frame member, the handle being movable longitudinally of said horizontal member to engage said lug with said frame member.

2. In combination with a truck having a horizontally extending member and a wall depending from one edge of said member, a detachable handle comprising a rigid bar adapted to extend along the top of said member, a grip member connected to said bar, a iiange depending from one edge of said bar for engagement with said wall of the truck and a hook-shaped flange depending from the opposite edge of said bar to engage an edge and the bottom surface of said member, said flanges iitting said horizontally extending member and wall loosely to permit free tilting of the bar for quick and easy attachment and detachament of the handle.

3. In combination with a manually operable truck having a rigid, horizontally extending end member, at least one longitudinal edge of which is accessible, a readily detachable handle comprising, a rigid bar of substantially L shape in cross section adapted to extend along and engage two of the faces of said end member, a grip member secured to said bar and a hook shaped projection on said bar to engage said edge ci the end member, said bar fitting the end member loosely and being freely tiltable, with said edge of the end member as a, fulcrum, from operative position laterally in one direction relative to said end member to permit ready removal of the handle-from the truck and being conned against tilting in the opposite direction by said projection when the latter is in engagement with said edge of the end member.

4. In combination with a truck having a rigid end structure of substantially L shape in cross section, at least one longitudinal edge of which is accessible, a detachable handle comprising, a rigid bar of substantially L shape in cross section adapted to extend along and embrace two of the faces of said structure, a grip member connected to said bar and a rigid projection on an edge of said bar for engagement with said edge of said end structure, said bar and projection fitting said structure loosely to permit .Free lateral oscillating movement of the bar in one dlrection with said edge of the end structure as a ELLSWORTH Y. MANN. 

